31/08/2021
Kaizen (改善, かいぜん)
Despite of popularity and usefulness of Kaizen in our personal and professional life, there are lot of misconceptions/ myths related to Kaizen.
Let's discuss few of them-
1. Masaaki Imai invented Kaizen:
The word kaizen is a Japanese term (Sino Japanese), Japanese people use the term "Kaizen" to mean "improvement".
Masaaki Imai is one of the best regarded person who popularized the term "Kaizen" outside Japan through his book “Kaizen: Japanese spirit of Improvement” in 1985 but it doesn’t mean he invented the term.
2. Kaizen refers only small improvement:
It’s one of the biggest myth about Kaizen! Kaizen doesn't mean only small improvement.
Japanese people use the term "Kaizen" to mean any kind of improvement, one-time or continuous, large or small.
3. Kaizen is a tool:
Kaizen is not a tool that anyone can take it and use. It is about a culture.
Kaizen is a never end journey of continual improvement and it comes from our mind which reveals our innate potentiality.
4. Kaizen philosophy is applicable in manufacturing processes only:
Not exactly! Kaizen philosophy is applicable in both of personal and professional life.
Considering business world, Kaizen philosophy is applicable in any kinds of businesses regardless of sizes, types (manufacturing, services, etc), and functions.
5. Comparison of Kaizen with PDCA and other Approaches and Tools:
PDCA is a management principle/ approach which is used in policy management, problem solving, etc for Total Quality Management (TQM), whereas Kaizen means Improvement.
Roughly we can refer Kaizen as an outcome of problem solving or daily management or policy management.
So, Kaizen and PDCA (and other approaches) shouldn't be compared with each other as an alternative.
6. Kaizen can be achieved through small group initiatives (i.e., QCC) only:
Improvement (Kaizen) can be achieved in personal or professional life by any individuals and/or group of people.
So why do you think that Small Group Initiatives (Quality Control Circle, Cross Functional Team, etc) are mandatorily required to carry out any sort of kaizens!
7. Standard works/ Standardization is not a part of Kaizen:
Taiichi Ohno, Father of TPS said, "Where there is no standard, there can be no Kaizen."
Standard Work is an integral part of Kaizen.
"We can say strengthen you standing position first (through SDCA), then jump for next destination (through PDCA)."
SDCA prevents the deterioration and therefore it is extremely important that both the SDCA & PDCA cycles are well established to ensure Kaizen!
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"Kaizen means improvement.
Moreover, it means continuing improvement in personal life, home life, social life, and working life.
When applied to the workplace Kaizen means continuing improvement involving everyone – managers and workers alike."
-Masaaki Imai
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Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thank You!
Reference:
Kaizen (改善, かいぜん) Despite of popularity and usefulness of Kaizen in our personal and professional life, there are lot...
